Wednesday, November 30, 2016

And I know you're all thinking, here comes another Christmas project, but NO, I had no rub ons of any kind that were wintery, Christmasy, or autumny!! I only had some that were...BEACHY!! So this is how it went!

I had coloured rub ons that were beachy and had gotten the tropical dies awhile ago, so it had to be a beachy tropical tag this month!

Yay!! I did have some cork and the cardboard to use, and for my attachments I used the Emerald Creek Angel Fish and dyed them in Turquoise alcohol ink.

I used some extra twine I had in my stash and a piece of drift wood I picked up on one of my trips to the beach with my nephews!

And voila....my November tag is completed! And now I want it to be summer so I can go to the beach, enjoy the sun and find more driftwood and seashells!! :)

I sure hope I have the supplies for the December tag LOL Or we may be heading to the beach one more time!

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Wow!! I can't believe I haven't posted in over a week!! I was so busy getting ready for a craft fair and one of my best friends came over for the weekend and just everyday trials and tribulations took over. But I am back today!!

I wanted to share a canvas I made. It has the spot for someone to add their own picture too it!

This is a 10X10 canvas. I did the background using Tim's Collage medium to adhere a piece of lavender tissue paper, after I had crinkled it up and then spread it out again. I like all the bumps and ridges this gave me. I then took a dry brush and used Picket Fence Distress Paint to just swipe across some of the raised parts so they stood out a bit more.

For my flowers I used my Tattered Florals die and the centers of the flowers are done with the Tiny Tattereds! I inked the edges of the flowers with Distress Ink in Dusty Concord and attached them with Glossy Accents.

The stems of the flowers are some sheer lime ribbon I had in my stash then tied them in a bundle with a purple bow. also ribbon from my stash.

Friday, November 18, 2016

Welcome to the inaugural blog hop, introducing Wild Whisper Designs!! A brand new Canadian company designing their own paper lines and carrying matching embellishments from other companies. I am so honored to be a part of this exciting day and to have been able to create a couple of projects to share the Wild Whisper Holiday Style collection with you all.

I created a Christmas postcard and a pocket scrapbook page. I used some of the 12X12 sheets, the 4X6 cards and the 3X4 cards too. The hardest part for me was having to decide which side to use because I love them all!! And I did not want to cut into my pages, but sometimes I just have to do it!

Up first is my 4X6 Christmas post card. I went with this size so I could use the full antler background and I could pop up my layers a bit more on the front and still be able to mail it!

The background is the 4X6 antler card, then I have used a piece of the teal plaid from the 12X12 pages for layering, and I used a left over piece from one of the 3X4 cards to stamp Merry Christmas on. The stag and the Merry Christmas stamps are from Emerald Creek.

Directly behind the stag is a piece of a 3X5 card in a lighter teal, then the plaid.

I love how the whole collection matches so well!

The Merry Christmas was stamped on a piece of a 3X5 card and then layered on the teal plaid.

My second project was a pocket scrapbooking page. I have had these pages in my stash for a while and just hadn't gotten around to using them. As soon as I saw the Holiday Style collection, I knew I had found my muse!!

This is the page with my little flip pockets closed and showing the the cards I used.

This is the 4X6 card and I knew what picture I was going to use, even though it makes me look ridiculous! LOL

And "Dressed in Holiday Style" is me in my "Free the Elves" shirt with my elf hat and elf shoes. My kids just rolled their eyes when they walked in the door and here I was!! LOL

The bottom half of the page with a 4X4 flip pocket, and inside this pocket is a trimmed 3X4 card and the "notes" piece is one of the 3X5 cards too.

And under the second flip pocket is my daughter and I! She is a bit like me :) But we love our holiday style!

And for the strip down the side I used the teal plaid. And you can see here the back of the Dressed in Holiday Style is this gorgeous firework. You can leave it as it is, which I did or you could put another picture in the pocket.

I loved creating with this collection and I know I'll need another one just so I can use the other sides of the cards! And I still have pieces left that I can finish a few more pocket pages, I can do a 12X12 layout and I'm pretty sure I'm going to be fussy cutting out some of the sayings on the 12X12 page. So much fun with this collection and I can't wait to order the Adventure Collection, I 'm not outdoorsy, but I will be able to have some good pics to use with the Adventure Collection!

Thank you so much for stopping by this stop of the blog hop and welcoming Wild Whisper Designs to the paper crafting industry!! Don't forget to hop over to the other blogs featuring Wild Whisper Designs!You have a chance to win both collections, Holiday Style and Adventure!! Just make sure you visit and comment on all the posts in this blog hop and both of these new incredible collections could be yours!You're next stop for inspiration in the Wild Whisper Blog Hop is Katelyn - A Creative Journey

Have a great hop everyone!

Here is your complete blog list!! You have until November 25th to comment on each post for your chance to win!!!

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Yay!! It is time for a new blog release from Emerald Creek!! Today is the release of "Heartfelt Freedom & Festivities- pt 2" I will be continuing on with my full steam ahead to Christmas! And if you've stopped by in the last month or so, you've seen some of my favorite holiday stamps!

I started with my blue background piece. I stamped and embossed the snowflake stamp in Iridescent Shimmer and Soft Fallen Snow, I then sprayed over that with Distress Spray in Broken China and Brushed Pewter. The second layer is watercolour paper sprayed with Evergreen Bough Distress Spray, then splattered with water and dried. then stamped the Christmas Polka stamp in Evergreen Bough and on the corners I stamped and embossed the snowflake image in Iridescent Shimmer.

I also stamped and embossed the snowflake pattern in Iridescent Shimmer on my Cardinal image. I then watercoloured it with my Candied Apple Distress Marker and Spiced Marmalade for the beak. I fussy cut my cardinal out and put him aside.

I used my Sizzix Christmas Cardinal die so I could use the branch part for my stamped image. I then embossed the branch in Burnt Copper Leaves and the pine needle parts with Vintage Ivy and Forest Foliage.

Look at that beautiful Burnt Copper Leaves ep texture!! One of my faves!

I tucked a couple of pine cone charms in the branch because...well cutest pine cones ever and it's a pine branch! :) And look at the texture from the custom embossing powders!

Just before I put all my pieces together, I attached the silver glimmer balls and the wish script with a thin piece of hemp twine and tied it around my polka layer.

Thank you for stopping by and please make sure you check out the amazing projects from my fellow Design Team mates!Sara EmilyClaudiaAnd please head to the Emerald Creek blog and share your festive project with us! You could win a $50 GC to stock up on your Emerald Creek favorites and maybe try something new too!

Friday, November 11, 2016

I like how sometimes, a project where I didn't like the outcome, turns into a project that I do love! I was originally using my Tattered Poinsettia die to make simple but pretty ornaments for a craft fair. But when I had one together I just did not like how it looked at all! So after having a little hissy fit, because sometimes I'm mature like that, LOL, I popped the ornaments in half. I took another look at the poinsettias and grabbed some cardstock and got back to work. So instead of ornaments, I ended up with 6 cards that I really like instead.

I was so happy to get this Tattered Poinsettia die from a friend that was no longer going to use it! This set I did with the paper I had in my stash (that I had completely forgotten about) and a shimmery chocolate cardstock. I attached the layers of the poinsettia with pop dots to give it dimension. I also used an vanilla coloured cardstock, not a stark white one. I ran the background pieces through my big shot with the poinsettia embossing folder and then put all the pieces together. The sentiment is in black Soot and it is from the Woodland Winter from Nicole Wright Designs, manufactured by Emerald Creek!

A couple of close up pictures of the poinsettias and the sentiment.

The second batch I did on the same night was in the Vanilla and gold combo. I actually am glad the ornaments didn't turn out because I actually love these cards! :)

The gold paper is also very shimmery like the chocolate is, but I find it very difficult to catch the shimmer with the camera.

I was also excited to find the patterned Christmas paper pad in my stash! Ssshhhhh....I've actually had it since November of 2013!! LOL I only remember that because I got it the fall we moved back to BC and my best friend came over for a weekend in November and we went craft supply shopping. I didn't even have all my stuff from Calgary here yet....BUT I had more craft stuff!

Sunday, November 6, 2016

It's hard to know where to start when I want to tell everyone about Clipper Street and all the amazing things about it.

A very basic start would be to tell you about all the businessy stuff, like they ship all over the world, they have all the newest and favorite products in stock all the time, if you need something and they don't have it, they can usually order it for you. They have parking lot Garage Sales in the summer so you can sell your unused stuff and make space for new products! The store is full and always so organized, ask and anyone can tell you where an item is. Or you can just enjoy yourself and wander through all the aisles and see all the products from some of your favorite companies. I spend a lot of time near the Ranger products and Sizzix and Simple Stories and.....well you get the idea.

Here is the crew from today after their always sold out Christmas Open House with special guest Kelly from Lawn Fawn!

Look at all these smiling faces! And this was after the crazy day they all had taking care of all the customers and serving us treats and running make and takes!

And it's time for the goofy picture!! LOL

Clipper Street also has amazing classes taught by their staff, and some incredible guest teachers. Always working to bring in the most sought after teachers and always creating and designing the incredible classes for you to take. They offer the classes on weekends, evenings and daytime classes as well.

I've taken classes with Deanna, Jo, Stacey and a mini one today with Meghan. All of them are amazing and so talented. The classes they create are so popular because you get so much bang for your buck, you create in class and almost always have enough left overs to create more at home. There is such a wide variety of classes, card ones, scrapbook layouts, mixed media canvasses, art journaling....so many interesting ways to learn and create at Clipper Street.

It's all thanks to Clipper Street that I have these two amazing photos and had the chance to meet 2 of my creative idols!

Learning all about Color Burst and seeing it in action with Ken Oliver, what a great day.

The amazingly genuine and down to earth Dyan Reaveley!! This was something I was so excited for...yes I was the crazy person starting the line up at 4:00 to make sure I got into her class! And this would not have happened with the persistence and determination from Deanna at Clipper Street!

But aside from amazing classes, all the supplies you want/NEED, the businessy stuff, the awesome projects throughout the store that you can take pics of for inspiration.....Clipper Street is really the best of the best because of the people that work there!!

When exciting things happen, and you share it with the girls, they are excited with you. they totally get the excitement. Michelle was working the night I found out I had won a seat in Life Book 2014 and understood my excitement. Linda that was there in the evenings over the summer loved to share projects. This is their passion and you can tell from the way they teach, talk to you and show you what's new in the store.

Walking into Clipper Street is like walking into an extended family member's house! You are always welcomed, there's joking around and laughs and smiles, and even a few tears sometimes. These ladies treat everyone so well and with respect, it doesn't matter if your a customer that can afford to spend hundreds or a customer that spends a smaller amount, every customer is made to feel like and important part of this store! And it's customer service like that, that keeps people loyal and coming back. You feel like your part of the store and that you matter to them. Seriously....I was trying to decide on a new hair cut and showed Meghan when I was in and decided on a different style LOL You can be having a hard time with things but when you walk in and start chatting and shopping, you just feel better, like you get to just enjoy what you love and share with others who love it too, and the bad stuff is set a side even just for a little while.This crew of incredible human beings is led by Deanna, who is so talented and hard working and kind and teaches at the Teresa Collins Event in Vegas.

Deanna, getting her first tattoo, with Dyan for moral support!

Lori is Deanna's Mom and Stacey's Mom in Law and she is on hand to help all the time and always so organized!

Lori, Dyan and Deanna

Stacey is one of the kindest people I have ever met and helped get donations together for The Salvation Army Art Therapy program and is now a Prima Marketing Educator!

Stacey on the left with a huge donation for the Art Therapy Program from the staff and customers of Clipper Street!

Kim is always smiling and she got to meet my pretend country music boyfriend, Keith Urban and she is also an amazing photographer.

Kim

Jo and Meghan are always smiling and you can just be yourself around them, (even if your normal self is a little twisted like me LOL) and they create amazing classes to teach.

Jo

Meghan

And that my friends, are just some of the reasons I love and support my local scrapbook store, Clipper Street and why they continously win Best of the Best in Langley. Three top awards, Best Cards and Stationary Store, Best Craft and Hobby Store, and Best Specialty Gift Store!!

A couple of the pictures are my own, the others are from the Clipper Street Facebook page, used with permission. And you can go there and see pictures from all the amazing classes!

Thank you for stopping by and reading about one of my favorite places to be! And if you are ever in the Langley area, stop by and see this amazing team and shop for all the latest in supplies you know you NEED/want!Have a great week everyone!!Cathy

Friday, November 4, 2016

My new favorite stamp is the Christmas Polka from Emerald Creek! I want the stamp to be the focal point and try to keep it simple. I did one a couple weeks ago with red and Tea Dye and Vintage Photo and I loved that one (had more embellishments) but I wanted to try a couple other colour combos.

I used the original color combo again because I do love it and then tried 2 others.

The one thing that I remembered to do with this one was emboss my red piece with the poinsettia folder before I attached it! I love the little extra texture it gives. Unfortunately I forgot that step on the other two, but will remember for the next batch, This combo is the Candied Apple Marker and Tea Dye. I used a very fine liner brush to paint in the scroll parts.

This combo is Stormy Sky and Brushed Pewter. The pewter really does stand out more in person than it does in the photos. I just could not capture the shimmer it gives.

This combo is Pine Needles and Tarnished Brass. I think embossing the gold piece of cardstock will make the next batch pop just a bit more.

To pain in the scroll work, again I just used a very fine line brush and sprayed my Tarnished Brass on my craft mat and picked up the colour from there. It does take a bit of time, but it's so worth it.

Thanks for stopping by and hope you all have a wonderful weekend with some creating time!